Part 3 cont'd
cont’d
4. Faith is a HEART-PACIFYING grace. Peace is the daughter of faith, Romans 5:1. "Being justified by faith—we have peace with God." Faith is the dove that brings an olive branch of peace in its mouth. Faith presents a reconciled God—and that gives peace. What is it which makes heaven—but the smile of God? Faith puts the soul into Christ—and there is peace. "That in me—you may have peace." When the conscience is in a fever, and burns as hell, faith opens the orifice in Christ’s side, and sucks in his blood—which has a cooling and pacifying virtue in it!
Faith gives us peace in trouble; nay, out of trouble as well!
1. Faith gives peace in trouble. Faith is a heart-pacifying, because a heart-securing grace. When Noah was in the ark, he did not fear the deluge; he could sing in the ark. Faith shuts a believer into the ark, Christ! "Lead me to the rock which is higher than I," was David’s prayer. Faith plants the soul upon this rock. The West Indians built their palaces upon the tops of hills: in the flood the waters covered the hills. But a believer is built higher: "These are the ones who will dwell on high. The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress of safety." Isaiah 33:16. His place of defense shall be the munition of rocks. But a man may starve upon a rock; therefore it follows, "Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance." Faith builds a Christian upon the power, wisdom, and faithfulness of God—this is the munition of rocks. And faith feeds him with the hidden manna of God’s love—here is bread given him. The way to be safe in evil times, is to get faith; this ushers in peace, and it is such a peace as does garrison the heart, Php 4:7. "The peace of God shall guard your heart"; it shall guard it as in a tower or garrison.
2. Faith gathers peace out of trouble. It gathers joy out of sorrow; glory out of reproach. This is the key to Samson’s riddle, "out of the eater came meat"; this explains that paradox, "Can a man gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Yes, of trials and persecutions, faith gathers joy and peace: here are figs of thistles. How were the martyrs ravished in the flames! the Apostles were whipped in prison—but it was with sweet-briar. O how sweet is that peace which faith breeds! it is a plant of the heavenly paradise; it is a Christian’s festival! it is his music: it is as Chrysostom speaks, the anticipation of heaven.
5. Faith is a HEART-STRENGTHENING grace. A believer has a heart of oak—he is strong to resist temptation, to bear afflictions, to foil corruptions; he gives check to them, though not full mate. An unbeliever is like Rueben, unstable as water, he shall not excel. A state of unbelief is a state of impotency. A believer is as Joseph, who though the archers shot at him, his bow abode in strength. If a Christian is to do anything, he consults with faith; this is the sinew, which if it be cut, all his strength goes from him. When he is called out to suffering, he harnesses himself with faith—he puts on this coat of armor. Faith gives suffering strength, furnishes the soul with suffering promises, musters together suffering graces, and propounds suffering rewards. But how is it, that faith is so strong?
Answer. 1. Because it is a piece of God’s armor. It is a shield which God puts into our hand. Ephesians 6:16, "Above all, taking the shield of faith." A shield will serve for a breast-plate; a sword, if need be; and a helmet; it defends the head, it guards the vitals; such a shield is faith.
Answer. 2. Faith brings the strength of Christ into the soul. Php 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." The strength of faith lies outside of itself, it grafts upon another stock—Christ. When it would have wisdom, it consults with Christ, whose name is Wonderful, Counselor. When it would have strength, it goes to Christ, who is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Christ is a Christian’s armory, faith is the key that unlocks it! Faith hangs upon the lock of Christ, all its strength lies here; cut it off from this lock, and it is weaker than any other grace. Christ may be compared to that tower of David, on which there hung a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men: the faith of all the elect, these shields hang upon Christ. Faith is a heroical grace; the crown of martyrdom is set upon the head of faith. "By faith they quenched the violence of the fire"; the fire overcame their bodies—but their faith overcame the flame.
5. Faith is a LIFE-FRUCTIFYING grace. It is fruitful. Julian, upbraiding the Christians, said, that their motto was, "only believe." Indeed, when faith is alone, and views all the rare beauties in Christ, then faith sets a low value and esteem upon works. But when faith goes abroad in the world, good works are the handmaids which wait on this queen! Though we place faith in the highest orb, in matter of justification—yet good works are in conjunction with it—in matter of sanctification. It is no wrong to good works—to give faith the upper hand, which goes hand in hand with Christ. Good works are not separated from faith—only faith claims the higher rank. Faith believes as if it did not work, and it works as if it did not believe. Faith has Rachel’s clear eye, and Leah’s fruitful womb! Romans 7:4, "That you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead—that you should bring forth fruit unto God." Faith is that spouse-like grace which marries Christ; and good works are the children which faith bears.
Thus having briefly shown you the nature of faith, I now come to the application: Have you true faith or not? And here let me turn myself, first to unbelievers, such as cannot find that they have this uniting, this espousing grace. What shall I say to you? Go home and mourn; think with yourselves, "What if you should die this night? what if God should send you a letter of summons to judgement? "What would become of you? You lack that faith, which entitles you to Christ and heaven! Oh, I say, mourn! Yet mourn not as those who are without hope, for in the use of means, you may recover a title to Christ. I know it is otherwise in our law-courts; if a title to an estate is once lost, it can never be recovered. But it is otherwise here; though you have no title to Christ today—yet you may recover a title: you have not sinned away the hope of a title, unless you have sinned away the sense of sinning. To such as are resolved to go on in sin, I have not a word to say—except that they shall shortly go to hell. But to you that have been prodigal sons—but are now taking up serious resolutions to give a bill of divorce to your sins, let me encourage you to come to Christ, and to throw yourselves upon his blood; for yet a title to heaven is recoverable.
Objection 1. "But," says the sinner, "Is there hope of mercy for me? surely this is too good news to be true! I would believe, and repent—but I am a great sinner."
Answer. And whom else does Christ come to save! whom does God justify—but the ungodly! Did Christ take our flesh on him, and not our sins?
Objection 2. "But my sins are of no ordinary dye."
Answer. And is not Christ’s blood of a deeper purple than your sins? Is there not more virtue in his blood, than there can be venom in the your sin? What if the devil magnifies your sins? Can you not magnify your physician? Cannot God drown one sea in another—your sea of sins, in the ocean of his mercy?
Objection 3. "But my sins are of a long standing."
Answer. Can Christ’s blood only heal new and fresh wounds? We read that Christ raised not only the daughter of Jairus, who was newly dead, and the widow’s son who was carried forth to burying; but he also Lazarus, who had lain four days in the grave, and had begun to putrefy! Has Christ less virtue now in heaven, than he had upon earth? if yours is an old wound—yet the medicine of Christ’s blood, applied by faith, is able to heal it! Therefore, do not sink in these quicksands of despair! Judas’ despair was worse in some sense than his treason. I would not encourage any to go on in sin, God forbid! It is sad to have old age and old sins. It is hard to pull up an old tree that is deeply rooted; it is easier to cut it down for the fire! But let not such despair: God can give an old sinner a new heart! He can "make springs in the desert!" Have not others been set forth as patterns of mercy, who have come in at the twelfth hour? Therefore break off your league with sin, throw yourself into Christ’s arms! Say, "Lord Jesus, you have said—Those who come to you, you will never cast out!"
2. Let me turn myself to the people of God, such as upon a serious scrutiny with their own hearts, have solid grounds to think that they have faith, and being in the faith, are engrafted into Christ. Read over your charter, "All things are yours!" Things present and to come! You are the heir on which God has settled all these glorious privileges. "Give wine," says Solomon, "to those who are of heavy hearts." But while I am going to pour in this wine of consolation, methinks I hear the Christian sadly disputing against himself, that he has no right to this charter.